Lighting system



A. P. ROBINSON.

LIGHTING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 9, i917.

1,304,203: v Patented May 20,1919.

ATTORNEY INVENTOR,

ALBERT PHILLIP ROBINSON, 0F KENVIL, NEW JERSEY.

LIGHTING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 20, 1919.

Application filed August 9, 1917. Serial No. 185,336.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT P. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenvil, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lighting Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lighting systems, and more particularly to an electric lighting system of the series type.

One of the main objects of the invention 'is to provide an electric lighting system in which the lights are connected in series having means for preventing extinguishing of the lights of the series in the event that one light becomes extinguished. A further object is to provide lights arranged in palrs connected in series, means being provided for automatically lighting one of the 11ghts of a pair in the event that the other light 1s extinguished. A further object 1s to provide a resistance coil for each pan of hghts, the light and the coil being so connected to the mains that, in the event of both lights being extinguished, the coil will be thrown into the circuit so as to prevent extinguishing of the rest of the lights of the ser es, this coil also serving to prevent overloading of the other lights of the series. A still further object is to provide slmple andefiiclent means for automatically controlling the various circuits of the lights and the resistance coil of each pair of lights. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a central sectional V ew through a pair of lights and the controlling means therefor constructed 1n accordance with my invention, as applied, the malns and the other groups of lights being shown or indicated diagrammatlcally.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantlally on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The approximately cylindrical hood or casing 1 for supporting the lights may be of any suitable construction. This cas ng is provided, intermediate its endsgwlth a flanged disk 2 secured therein. Thls disk 2 is mounted in spaced relation to a simllar disk 3 secured in the casing l and spaced from the back 4 of the casing. Two lamp sockets 5 and 6 of porcelain or other suitable electrical insulating materialare secured 1n disk 2, these sockets receiving the lamps 7 and 8 of standard construction. One pole of socket 5 is connected by a lead 9 to one end of the coil of an electro-magnct 10 secured through disk 3, the other end of the coil of this magnet being connected to the main 11 which is mounted within a tube 12 secured in the center of easing 1. The other pole of socket 5 is connected by a lead 13 to the other side or portion 11 of main 11, the light 7 and electro-magnet 10 being thus connected in series in the main.

One pole of socket 6 is connected by a lead 14 to main 11, the other pole of this socket being connected by a lead 15 to one end of the coil of an electro-magnet 16 mounted through disk 3 diametrically opposite to electro-magnet 10, the other end of the coil of which is connected by a lead 17 to a U standard 18 secured at the center of disk 2 and electrically insulated therefrom, this standard being of copper or other suitable electrical conducting material. A pair of oppositely directed switch blades 19and 20 are pivotally secured at their inner ends in the upper end of standard 18 by means of a pivot pin 21 passed through the same and through the upper ends of the arms of the standard, the lead 17 being electrically connected to one end of this pivot pin. A resistance coil 22 is connected in a. shunt-circuit to the main 11 by means of a lead 23 connected thereto, the other end of this coil being connected by a lead 2 1 to a metallic U-clip 25 secured to disk 2 and electrically insulated therefrom. This clip is positioned adjacent the outer end of switch blade 19 and is adapted to receive this blade when said blade is lowered so as to be in close contact therewith. A similar clip 26 is provided adjacent the outer end of switch blade 20 and is connected by a lead 27 to main 11, this clip, also, being insulated from disk 2.

Switch blade 20 is provided, at its outer end, with an armature 28 which is positioned in alinement with the pole of electromagnet 10. As the electro-magnet 10 is normally energized, it acts to hold switch blade 20 raised against the action of a tension spring 29 which is secured to the armature 28 and disk 2. A similar tension sprin 30 acts to normally hold switch arm or b l ade 19 depressed and in engagement with the clip 25, due to the fact that electro-magnet 16 is normally deenergized. The switch blade 19 is provided, at its outer end, with an armature 31 which is positioned to be attracted by electro-magnet 16 so as to raise the switch blade against the tension of spring 30.

The main 11 may be considered as the negative or return main of the circuit, main 32 being the positive main. Normally, the current will flow along main 11 through electro-magnet 10, light 7, and back to the main thus illuminating the light. This energizes electro-magnet 10 so as to hold switch blade 20 in raised position. The light 8 is normally disconnected from the main 11 being normally held in lowered position in contact with clip 25 by tension spring 30. With the switch arms in this position, .no current will flow through light 8 or resistance 22, it being understood that this resistance is sufliciently great to prevent the flow of a shunt current from main 11 through this coil 22 and to and through the filament of lamp 8. In the event that light 7 is extinguished, electro-magnet 10 will be deenergized permitting switch blade 20 to be drawn downward into the clip 26 by tension spring 29. The current will then flow through lead 27, clip 26, switch blade 20 to standard 18. This current will tend to divide at the standard, one part flowing through switch arm 19, clip 25, lead 24, resistance coil 22, and lead 23 back to the main; the other part of the current flowing from the post or standard 18 through lead 17, electro-magnet 16, lead 15, lamp 8 and lead 14 to main 11. This second part of the current will energize electro-magnet 16 which will act to lift switch blade 19 thus breaking the circuit of resistance coil 22, causing the full current to flow through electro-magnet l6 and light 8. By this means, light 8 is connected into the circuit in series so as to replace light 7 when the latter is extinguished. As light 8 and electro-magnet 16 are duplicates of light 7 and electro-magnet 10, respectively, the resistance in the circuit remains the same thus insuring proper operation of all lights of the series and eliminating all danger of overload of the circuit. If the light 8 is also extinguished, the circuit of the electromagnet 16 will be broken, thus deenergizing the electro-magnet. When this happens, switch blade 19 is drawn downward into the clip 25. The current will now flow from the main 11 through lead 27, clip 26, switch blade 20 to standard18, switch blade 19, clip 25, lead 24, resistance coil 22, and lead back to the main 11. The resistance coil is thus automatically connected in the circuit if light 8 is extinguished. This resistance coil has a resistance equal to the magnet 16 and light 8 and serves in the sane manner to prevent overloading of any of the lights of the circuit while also servlng to prevent opening of the circuit in the event that both of the lights 7 and 8 are extinguished.

In practice, the lights would be mounted in pairs at suitable distances connected in the circuit in the manner described. This system is well adapted for street lighting where a number of lights are included in a single circuit, or for other systems where it is necessary that the lights burn continuously. By the construction and arrangement of the circuit controlling means shown, I insure that, if one light of a group is extinguished it will be immediately replaced by a similar light which will be automatically connected into the circuit in series. I also provide means for preventing opening of the circuit if both lights of an individual pair or group are extinguished. While I have shown this system as used with lights arranged in pairs, it will be evident that the number of lights for each such group can be varied with electro-magnets for operating the same and resistance coils for the diametrically opposite lights.

hat I claim is:

1. In lighting systems, a main electric circuit two lamps. connected in series with said main circuit, electro-magnets mounted in the circuit of said lamps respectively, and connected in series therewith, a resistance equal to the resistance of the electroqnagnet and lamp of'one of the lamp circuits connected in shunt to the same, and means controllable by said electro-magnets for normally ,connecting one of said lamps into the main in series therewith while cutting out the other lamp, said means being adapted to connect the other lamp and its electro-magnet into the circuit in series in the event of the first mentioned lamp becoming extinguished and to simultaneously disconnect said resistance from the main circuit, said controlling means being further adapted to connect the resistance directly into the main circuit in series therewith in the event that the second lamp is also extinguished.

2. In lighting systems, a main, a light in series therewith, an electro-magnet interposed in the main in advance of the light and in series with the same, a second light having one pole connected to the main, a supporting standard, an electro-magnet having one end of its coil connected to the other pole of the second light and the other end of its coil connected to the standard, opposltely directed switch blades pivotally mounted at their inner ends in the standard and provided at their outer ends with armatures positioned to be attracted by said electro-magnets so as to raisesaid blades when the electro-magnets are energized, a contact clip positioned beneath the blade controlled! by the electro-magnet'interposed in the cit-- cuit of the first light andadapted to receive In testimony whereof I afiix iny signature the said blade, said clip being connected to in presence of two Witnesses.

the main, a clip positioned beneath the other ALBERT PHILLIP ROBINS switch blade, and a resistance having one Witnesses: end connected to the main and the other end J OSEPH A. MCGUIGAN,

connected to said clip. JAMES DAVENPORT. 

